Helldivers 2has been on a buffing spree of late. After a series of highly controversial nerfs a few weeks ago, particularly surrounding flame-based weaponry, the developers atArrowhead have delivered some massive improvementsto some of the most popular weapons and stratagems in the game. Previous flame nerfs have been reverted, theEagle 500Kg Bombsaw a huge explosion radius increase, and numerous fan favorite guns are hitting harder than ever before.
TheHelldivers 2arsenal has never felt stronger, and it’s clear from the rising player counts of Steam that the community is absolutely here for it. But it might be just a bit too early to start celebrating. Arrowhead loves to challenge the player base with difficulty and new enemy types. This fresh wave of buffs might just be preparing players for a new threat lurking in the deepest, darkest reaches of uncharted space.
Helldivers 2’s Latest Buffs May Just Be Preparing Players for the Arrival of The Illuminate
For all the happiness surrounding the recent buffs,Helldivers 2players would do well toremember the Illuminate faction is still out there, waiting for the moment Arrowhead sees fit to add it to the game. As anyone who played the originalHelldiverscan attest, the Illuminate does not mess around. They were far and away the most punishing faction from the first game, and it took everything Super Earth had to push them out of the galaxy in the First Galactic War.
TheIlluminate’s return inHelldivers 2has been inevitable for quite some time now, but it could be that these recent buffs are simply a primer for the impending struggle against the squid-like aliens; a little something to get players slightly more prepared before an even more powerful enemy comes breaking down the doors.
How Hard Will the Illuminate Be?
The Illuminate was always going to be a tough faction, but these sweeping buffs the game’s been receiving might embolden the developers to make the enemies even harder than the first time around. Easily the most “sci-fi” of the enemy factions,the Illuminate faction in the originalHelldiverswas all about energy weaponry. They utilized laser weapons, energy shields, teleportation technology, and walkers that would make even the Empire fromStar Warsget nervous. They also lean heavily on psionic, telekinetic, and mind control abilities, making them a potentially more dangerous threat than anythingHelldivers 2players have encountered thus far.
What Will the Illuminate Be Like When They Return?
If the Illuminate return on par with their former selves, the buffs the game just dropped will undoubtedly be helpful in pushing them back, but it’s unlikely Arrowhead would want to introduce its new big bad so easily. Instead, the Illuminate will probably come out of the gate with a totally overhauled army, taking the100-year hiatus betweenHelldivers' galactic warsto seriously upgrade their tech for round two with Super Earth. As such, it’s nearly impossible to say exactly what the faction will look like on release. A number of models have been leaked revealing the return of a small handful of units, but how they’ll function inHelldivers 2’s third-person shooter format versus the original title’s top-down gameplay remains to be seen.
No matter when or how the Illuminate make their grand return to the galactic theater, one thing is for sure; they’ll be coming with a boom. Probably a lot of booms, actually. Many players are viewing the recent buffs as an apology from Arrowhead for the last round of negatively received nerfs. But these buffs aren’t a gift to apologize for previous controversies. These buffs are a warning shot to say “Get ready. Things are about to get real.”
Helldivers 2
WHERE TO PLAY
Do you believe in freedom? Can you stand in the face of oppression – and defend the defenceless? Wage war for peace. Die for democracy.Join forces with up to three friends and wreak havoc on an alien scourge threatening the safety of your home planet, Super Earth, in this multiplayer co-op shooter for PS5 and PC from Arrowhead Game Studios.Step into the boots of the Helldivers, an elite class of soldiers whose mission is to spread peace, liberty and Managed Democracy using the biggest, baddest and most explosive tools in the galaxy.Helldivers don’t go planet side without proper backup, but it’s up to you to decide how and when to call it in. Not only do you have a host of superpowered primary weapons and customizable loadouts, you also have the ability to call on stratagems during play.Helldivers 2 features Arrowhead’s best cooperative gameplay yet. Collaboration will be vital: Teams will synergize on loadouts, strategize their approach for each mission and complete objectives together.1Enlist in Super Earth’s premier military peacekeeping force today. We are heroes… we are legends… WE ARE HELLDIVERS.
